


Under a Starlit Banner

by inkbadger



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: And Coran as their Kung Fu master, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Archer Lance, Galra are yokai/demons, Gen, Humor, Kung Fu Panda AU, Mythology - Freeform, Pidge-Centric, Shiro's a bit of a mess, but that's okay, ft. the Paladins as the Furious Five, goddess allura
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-01
Updated: 2018-05-13
Packaged: 2019-01-28 04:45:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12598464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inkbadger/pseuds/inkbadger
Summary: Each of the Celestial Lion spirits were born from the grace of a dying star, their forms forged on earth from smooth stone and precious metals to contain their consciousness.The Lions chose those whose souls called to theirs the strongest from birth, or from circumstance, who would resonate and gravitate to their temples deep within the mountains and become the vessels for their power.Their Paladins.-She knows in her heart that her brother and father are alive. She didn't expect to be drawn into an ancient war between gods and demons, nor to become a paladin for a celestial lion in her search for answers.Wait, what?





	1. Chapter 1

_There is legend spoken in villages across the continent._

_The mighty Lion Paladins, tasked to serve a great goddess of the stars who deigned to live amongst the people of the earth. Many tales have been spoken of her beauty and wisdom, though few have had any truth to their words._

_The beginning of the Lion Paladins began well over a thousand years ago- the goddess of the stars wished to help the people of the valley she had come to call home from dark mages who had once been priests and priestess’, their minds twisted by magic to become yokai known as Galra._

_Long before her reign, her father, the god of the sun and skies, and his kinsman, the god of the moon, came to blows over these priests, as they had been worshipping at his temple before they succumbed to the dark curiosities of the world. The battle went on for many years, the pair dragging in others of their kind to aid their cause. Many perished, others felled but left alive as their clash tore across galaxies, cracking planets and ripping fissures that turned into black holes._

_The god of the sun and skies finally dealt a deadly blow to the god of the moon with his blade, a magnificent thing forged from a sun. But it came at the cost of allowing the god of the moon to deal one of his own, his clawed hands gouging deeply within the other’s chest and tearing his essence from his physical form. And so they both perished, leaving behind their offspring._

_One, the goddess of the stars._

_The other, an exiled halfbreed who cared little for his father’s ways- hiding himself away from the other gods and goddesses to live a solitary existence in an empty galaxy._

_And while this ended the war between the deities, it did little to curb the advances of the Galra. Enraged that their lord had been killed, their madness spread like fire to others, and still others, an infection of the mind that slithered like poison amongst their thoughts and turning them to dark magic._

_Determined to put an end to this plague, the goddess sought out the creations of her father that had been brought about by the first war against the god of the moon- the Celestial Lions._

_Each of the Celestial Lion spirits were born from the grace of a dying star, their forms forged on earth from smooth stone and precious metals to contain their consciousness. The First was the core, the Black Lion. From there, there came the hands of the Black, the Red and the Green. And then came the Blue and Yellow, to carry the weight of their brothers and sisters upon their mighty shoulders when the time came. And thus, the Lions chose those whose souls called to theirs the strongest from birth, or from circumstance, who would resonate and gravitate to their temples deep within the mountains and become the vessels for their power._

_Their Paladins._

_Each lion chose a paladin best suited to their individual personalities, and through them honed their skills as warriors, even if they had none to speak of. Of course, there were strong warriors who the lions had chosen, but over time, there were others, too. An artist, an explorer, a blacksmith, to name but a few. Farmers, traders, common folk aplenty._

_Gradually, the lions fell dormant as an age of tentative peace spread over the land, their paladins allowed to grow old and live their lives in their own ways, before eventually, their tales passed from one world to the next. But the goddess remained, her watchful advisor at her side, as they kept vigil over the mountainous valley that they called home._

_And so our tale begins- in a time where darkness stirs at the corners of the world, and the Celestial Lions must awaken once more._

* * *

 

Her breath came in short pants as she skidded around a corner, her bare feet catching on the small, sharp stones that littered the ground as she pressed against the cool stone of the building. Her dark blond hair, haggardly cut in the darkness with a sharp stone, drifted into her eyes, but she didn’t dare make a move to brush it away. Not while the guards could hear her.

Behind her, she could hear the guards in question curse as they grew nearer and then thundered past, their armor and swords gleaming in the faint sunlight filtering through the clouds above.

She hadn’t expected to get caught.

Of the many things that she had accounted for, this had not even begun to cross her mind. It was supposed to be a simple mission; enter the home of the lord who had sent her father and brother on the journey that had cost them their lives and search for any clues that would point to proof that her family was still alive. She hadn’t accounted for the guards who lived in the massive compound to catch her in the act of scaling the wall to leave.

She hadn’t found anything that she could take with her, but she knew.

She _knew_ that her father and brother were alive.

“There you are, you little rat!”

A heavy hand descended upon her shoulder, but she didn’t hesitate. She jabbed with her elbow into the man’s stomach, a sharp wheeze her reward as she continued with a swift kick to the shin and a final hit to his jaw as he collapsed, bouncing back onto her toes and taking off down the street again.

This village had become familiar to her over the last several months, her residence fueled by the sole reason of vengeance. She wanted vengeance for her missing brother and father, vengeance for the mother who had finally fallen silent and then vanished into the river’s icy depths, her body pulled out by the only child she had left two mornings later.

She wanted answers.

The image of the scrolls was imprinted on the inside of her eyes, the painted images of- not two, but _three_ sent on the explorative journey to the far reaches of the north. A third member of their party, sent as a guide and protector.

Shirogane Takashi.

She would not rest until she found out if he was alive.

 

* * *

 

 

Many leagues away, tucked away in the depths of a shrine deep within a mountain peak, a figure stirred as a long forgotten presence flickered to life within the recesses of her mind.

The Goddess of Stars blinked her eyes open, her meditation broken as a familiar tendril of consciousness brushed against her own, the distinct impression she received from it a whisper of the breeze amongst the grass and the scent of the earth.

“The Green Lion.” She whispered, her lips automatically pulling back in a soft smile as she uncrossed her legs and rose fluidly to her feet. “It has finally awoken- _Coran!_ ”

The star-spirit manifested himself in a whirl of smoke and wind, kneeling before his mistress and close friend.

“Yes, princess?” he inquired, his accented tone still a curiosity to her after so many years together.

“The Green Lion has awoken. Preparation must be made to find its paladin.” She stated firmly, her pale robes shimmering with the light of the moon above filtering into the temple. “A festival, perhaps- one with the villages at the base of the mountain and the shrine there.”

“Of course, milady!” he beamed, his copper hair and moustache nearly alive with the amount of enthusiasm he bobbed his head. His dark blue robes and loose pants billowed about him as he touched his tattoos beneath his eyes and then his heart, disappearing once more in a whisper of smoke.

She breathed out a sigh of relief as she relished in the sensations of all five lions once again present. It had been far too long since the last time all of them had been conscious- or at least conscious and with a compatible paladin.

She stood there in the massive hall, light gleaming off of the dark green and blue walls, and tilted her head back. Her pale hair brushed the floor like this, she knew, but she did not care. It was almost as if her father were standing next to her once again, his familiar warmth surrounding her as the lions did.

“Allura.”

“Shiro.” She greeted, a warm smile spreading across her features, the delicate pink tattoos beneath her eyes glowing with affection at the newly chosen Black Paladin as she met his gaze.

Shiro was a hardy spirit, the experiences he had endured while with the Galra truly horrific. It served to show just how dark the minds of Zarkon’s worshippers had warped over the centuries of unnatural life. Even after careful examination of the false arm that had been implanted upon him and the myriad of scars littering his body, there had only been so much she could do to ease his mental discomfort.

“Dare I ask why Coran just called off our training?”

There was an easy smile on his features- a new development, and one that warmed her heart to see. He quirked a brow at her expression a moment before adjusting his stance so that the formfitting black paladin uniform he wore only seemed more prominent.

“I must admit that it is due to my orders.” She offered, perhaps a little sheepish under the almost parental stare that he levelled at her. “The Green Lion has awoken. I merely suggested that a search for its Paladin might be in order.”

“The Green Lion?”

“Yes. It is a joyous occasion. The Green Lion is almost as particular about its paladins as the Red Lion. Of course, not quite to the same degree.”

They both grimaced at the thought. Keith had been sent in as a scout into a Galra compound, only to discover the Red Lion by chance. Rather than leave and avoid detection, he stayed and protected the gigantic statue until the other paladins and Coran were able to enter the temple and retrieve it.

How he had been able to hold off the masses of Galra was vague, but she knew that the Red Lion had chosen Keith to be her own. The bond that resonated between them was strong, despite the lack of communication between the Lion and her Paladin. Not unheard of, given her aloof temperament. Few of her paladins of old had been able to truly bond with her on all levels over the years. That she recalled, only two before Keith had done so.

“Allura…”

“Speak your mind, Shiro. You know this is a place of safety.”

“What is my role here?”

The question was one with several answers, but Allura had a feeling she knew which in particular Shiro meant.

“You do not have to do anything here if you are not ready, Shiro.” She replied gently. “What you have been through is not one to simply walk away from. Recovery is first and foremost what I would like to see from you. Your other role and responsibilities will come later.”

She stepped forward then, her dress brushing against the floor, bare feet hardly a whisper, until she was standing before him.

“The Black Lion chose you for who you are, Shirogane Takashi.” She hummed, reaching to brush back the white fringe that had come with stress and premature aging. “And I see your soul for what it is. You are a Paladin. One of five. The decisive leader that will come with time- and patience.”

He was still, though his shoulders relaxed with her words.

“You treat me as an equal despite my station.” He said quietly once she had finished.

“You are a Paladin. The Lions have chosen you, and that equals you to my rank. Their power is yours until you take your last breath, and you will ascend to the halls of the others who came before you.” She straightened. “All leaders are allowed their moments of weakness, Shiro. You are no different. So please, do not cause yourself unnecessary worry.”

She knew that her words would only do so much to ease his worry, but Allura hoped that he would come to realize that he would make a truly great Black Paladin.

“Now, come. I believe Coran will soon be seeking out the rest of our paladins to help him plan a festival. Father help me, I should have thought this through.” She muttered, the pristine image of a goddess cracking.

At that, Shiro finally chuckled, offering her his arm for her to grasp.

Though the Black Lion hadn’t officially or publically (that she knew of) declared Shiro to be its paladin, Allura sensed it to the bone. And with the awakening of the Green Lion, the fifth and final paladin would be joining them at last in the Castle of Lions shrine. And then…

Then they would finally be able to take the Galran witches head on and finally extinguish their blackened hearts. In the name of her father, and in the memory of her mother, she would take her vengeance against them.

“Everything will turn out alright, my lady.”

“Yes.” She nodded, unable to help her faint amusement at his quotation of her own words. “Yes, I imagine it will, my paladin.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I sincerely apologize for posting a single chapter and then vanishing for months. It was rather cruel. As is, this chapter is short but nonetheless a chapter. I hope you all enjoy!

_Two months later_

It was still unnerving, Pidge mused, to realize how much her life had taken a turn in such little time.

Her father and brother, gone away on an exploration of the north, only to never return home. Declared dead after countless months gone. Her mother, committing suicide following the news brought from a general from the lord’s army. The vain bastard he was, hardly even sparing a moment to bring the news to a grieving wife and child himself.

And now leaving her the sole successor to her line.

She reclined, leaning against the cool stone that framed the window, perched precariously three levels from the ground, balanced between life and potential death. It was a sensation that she danced along frequently nowadays. Between guards, lords, grief, loneliness and stealing what she needed to survive, it was a miracle she hadn’t succumbed to madness herself.

Her family home had been wrenched away from her by Lord Iverson- the same lord who had taken her family from her, the same lord who continued to hide the truth from her. All she had now was a name to go by, and even that would take time to track.

Then again, there was a reason her father and brother had been asked to take the exploratory mission. Intelligence was hardly lacking in their family line- tracing back generations, they were known explorers, scientists, and mathematicians. True, they had also been called mad many times, occasionally driven out of their homes and villages, but then again, the search for knowledge was not an easy one.

She already knew, for example, that the Shirogane clan hailed from the east. If nothing else, a strong start to her search. The only problem was, it was too far to travel on her own, especially so without a guide. After all, a samurai clan seemed suited to choosing the most isolated place in all of the continent to build their home, did they not?

But east nonetheless she began to travel, asking those she passed if they had heard of a Shirogane Takashi.

Weeks passed, her inquiries leading her to several dead ends and three other Shirogane samurai who were unrelated to the one she happened to be searching for.

However, her tenacity won out. She eventually caught wind of a promising lead, which had eventually led her to the Altean Valley, also named the Valley of Peace by those who resided there.

The rumors she had heard so far indicated that there would be a festival held soon. Plans had been in the works for months between one of the residents of the temple high on the mountain that loomed over the village and the people down below. Something about a paladin and a lion, whatever that meant- though there was an odd sensation in the back of her mind that such concepts were something that she had heard before. She just couldn’t place where, or from who.

But the key point to the rumors was that one of the paladins was none other than Shirogane himself. No one had been able to actually confirm it, but it was the best she had gotten in months, and she was determined not to let this chance get away from her.

Naturally, her plans included travelling up the mountain to the temple there whilst everyone else was attending the festival. Investigate, leave, and then return at a later date to confront whoever resided there if she did find something.

Of course, that also meant that she would have to trek up the treacherous stone steps that disappeared into a thick mist high above her. Her feet had brought her this far, however. She hadn’t come all this way in her quest for answers to simply give up at the prospect of hiking up into the unknown mountains.

Instead, she paid for a room in a small building that lay the closest to the looming steps, the single window overlooking her destination.

Her lips curled into a smirk as her mind began conjuring up her plans, taking a seat on the window ledge and humming a tuneless melody to herself. Now that she had come this far, something in her chest was lightening, as if coming here to this place had begun to lift her spirits despite the depth of the emotion surrounding her situation.

She paid little mind to it, however.

Soon, she would have her answers, one way or another.

 

* * *

 

 

“The festival is tomorrow, milady.”

“Yes.” She hummed, hands clasped in front of her as she tilted her head to one side as if listening for something that only she could hear. “The Green Lion’s spirit has grown stronger these last days. Perhaps its paladin is closer than we first believed.”

Coran looked pleased at the statement, his back straightened respectfully as his ward turned to smile gently at him.

“It has been so long since we had all five paladins awakened.” Allura said in her soft voice, her words nonetheless echoing throughout the temple that had been carved into the depths of the massive cavern eons ago. “The last were those of my father.”

“Your father would be proud, milady.” Coran replied warmly, stepping in line with the pale haired goddess as she began to move further to the entrance of the temple. The night was clear, the peaks of the mountains surrounding their haven illuminated by the pale light of the moon. “You have done more than asked for the people of this world.”

She laughed quietly, the sound like bells before she sighed.

“How could I not?” she asked, gaze roving the valley far below them. “They have such fascinating stories despite their short lives. Every moment is precious, and yet each individual spends theirs in a myriad of ways. So many threads connected to create a whole tapestry.”

A faint tug along her mental connection with the Red Lion, along with a flash of movement from the corner of her eye draws her line of sight to the aforementioned lion’s paladin.

Keith was an odd creature, to be sure. Despite being of mixed heritage, half of which yokai, the dark haired male was deceptively quiet in his everyday activities. While he would keep his distance from the other paladins, (Save Lance, who seemed to find some form of odd competitive comradery with him) he tended to wear his heart on his sleeve for those who were looking.

Now, however, it seemed as though he were making his way to the outdoor training courtyard in front of her temple, his paladin blade sheathed over his shoulder. His smaller heritage blade from his dam was sheathed elsewhere on his body, she knew.

“Ah, our red paladin appears to be out for a late training routine.” Coran hummed, gaze sharpening. Allura entrusted the star-spirit with her paladins and their training- while firm, Coran also knew when to allow each paladin to learn and train on their own. “Likely he will be the first to arrive to our training tomorrow as well.”

“And then the festival.” Allura reminded, withdrawing to her thoughts.

What would the green paladin of this generation be like, she wondered. The last had been an ambassador between several peaceful yokai tribes well known for their advanced societies. She had been an interesting conversationalist, constantly keeping Allura and Coran both on their toes as well as stirring up some occasional mischief with the other paladins.

Since finding herself at war with the remnants of the Galra, Allura had come to realize that whilst there were those such as the Galra- twisted souls who had become evil yokai desiring nothing but destruction- there were also others. Others that had deviated from the evolution of the humans to become something else. Something almost descended from the gods. Truly, if such a thing were true, it would mean that others had come to this world as she and Coran had.

That perhaps she was not as alone as she had once thought.

“Do you think that it will truly be as simple as a festival to find the green paladin?” Coran inquired lightly.

“Perhaps.”

Honestly, the goddess had thought of the same thing many times over the last several weeks as preparations had gotten underway for the festival. Doubt had begun to creep into the edges of her thoughts despite her best efforts to listen to the green lion’s thread that trembled in anticipation.

“Nonetheless, there is only one way to know for certain.” She let out a breath she hadn’t realized that she had been holding, forcing her shoulders to relax. “We must have faith.”

“Of course.”

They stood there together in comfortable silence until Allura noted the star-spirit’s distracted glance toward the courtyard that was just out of sight.

“Go. I am certain our red paladin would appreciate a sparring partner.” she nodded. “I will see you in the morning, Coran.”

“Milady.” He bowed before disappearing in the familiar cloud of smoke.

“Please.” She pleaded the moment she knew he was gone, tilting her face back to the heavens, basking in the glow of the moon. “Please allow us to bring the five paladins to light once more.”

The stars twinkled brightly above- a reminder of days long past and days that she knew would forever remain out of reach.

 

* * *

 

 

The dawn of the festival seemed to take forever to Pidge as she pulled her bronze and green tunic over her slim form. She took note of the new small scars that littered her legs and hands, her adolescent body beginning to form gentle curves and grow taller as she turned, examining herself critically.

If she were a passerby, she might have assumed that she looked like her brother- save for the long hair that had become more and more of a nest as she travelled. Granted, she had kept it cut short before she had begun travelling, but it had since grown back quickly and was once again posing a problem for her.

Thankfully, she was able to inquire to the owner of the building about acquiring a short blade, and made a trade for a smaller knife that fit well in her palm for several small trinkets that she had come by during her travels. That done, she made quick- and much cleaner work- of the rat’s nest that was her hair, trimming it just above her shoulders. That done, she gathered her small pack of belongings together, packing it tightly and tying it closed before slinging it over her shoulder and leaving through the window.

Thankfully, given the early morning, she had little concern of who would see her, but Pidge erred on the side of caution. She had pulled out one of her brother’s scarves around her shoulders to form a makeshift hood that concealed her features and hair as she approached the steps of the staircase that seemed to stretch into the heavens themselves.

Obviously, she needed to be careful. If Shirogane was here, it was likely that he was dangerous. Any number of circumstances could be possible if he were the only one to have made it back from the Northern lands. Those darker thoughts that tormented her in the small hours of the night and kept her awake lingered that perhaps their guide had turned on them. That Shirogane had turned on them both and left them for dead, or had even killed them himself.

And then there was another possibility- what if this was another dead end? If this reclusive samurai was just that, and had nothing to do with her family? Would she have wasted all of this time on an endeavor that was fueled by spite and bitterness to the world that had taken her family from her?

No. She couldn’t afford to think of that now. She had come this far, and even if it were a dead end, she would see it through.

But first, she needed to find somewhere safe to stash her belongings as she climbed the steps.

Pidge turned on her heel, noting the dense bamboo and foliage that surrounded both sides of the steps. It would suffice, but she wasn’t about to leave it near the base of the mountain. Further up, if she could. That would be the best option for her, considering that she did not want to be immediately seen by whoever- or _whatever_ \- might be waiting on the other side.

Sighing, she tugged her bag further up her shoulder and started up the steps.


End file.
